EU Officials Hold Secret Talks With Taliban Over Deportations

The meeting, co-chaired by the European Commission and Sweden, included representatives from Belgium and the Netherlands. Official statements focused on the mechanics of repatriation, specifically the identification of returnees and the issuance of necessary travel documentation. However, the commission remained tight-lipped regarding the funding of the Taliban delegation’s travel, the specific venue, and the potential inclusion of women in the talks.

Despite the commission’s limited public characterization of the discussions, internal accounts paint a broader picture. Johannes Luchner, a senior commission official who visited Kabul earlier this year, previously signaled to lawmakers that the agenda encompasses more than just high-risk individuals. An anonymous source confirmed this expansion, indicating that the EU is actively seeking mechanisms to return failed asylum seekers as well. The lack of clarity surrounding what the Taliban expects in exchange for this cooperation remains a point of significant scrutiny.